$75 Thorens vs. $2K+ Michell...is this possible?

Paul, I owned both the Michell and Thorens and what you describe would indicate some problems with the cartridge mounting or phonostage settings. Where do you live? Possibly there are some friendly Agon members that could check the cartridge alignment etc. for you? It really is not that difficult to set up a table, but I have had bad experience with a dealer several years ago, who claimed you could just mount a cartridge without any alignment tools on a Rega arm, as one won't be able to tell the difference on a sub $1k table !!??

Knowing the Glider and Tecnodec, I would expect a very lean, fast, sometimes too detailed and unforgiving sound. The Thorens will be more balanced, but also with less resolution and detail. Noise/distortion should not be part of any analog sound and indicated alignment or other problems.

The Glider isn't even close to breaking in and will definitely get better although tweeking the set up could render more improvement as well.

Two points:

1) most likely are setup issues;

2) don't expect miracles.

I have owned a new VPI Scout with a Benz Glider M2 cartridge for about 3 months. Before that, I owned a Thorens TD-125 MK2 for about 2 years. The performance level of the Scout is very high and I feel that it can do just about anything. I never have problems with it as you desicribed with your Michell. My Thorens performance level was almost up to the level of the VPI, but not quite. I had a cheaper cart on the Thorens (Ortofon X5, I believe). It sounded very good for its price range, but there was little magic compared to the VPI and the Thorens would get a little confused on certain passages, where the VPI/Benz does not.

I believe that your Michell is not set up properly since you describe distortion in certain dynamic passages. Based on my experience with my Thorens and VPI, I believe that your Thorens could nearly approach or even match the performance level of your Michell. It will take a lot of work to get the Thorens refurbished and tuned, and match a correct cartridge to whatever arm you go with.

I have also found that my VPI and Benz Glider play whatever is on the record. If it is a rather pedestrian recording with lazy engineering, then it sounds like a rather average recording. This of course means the playback will have little, if any, vinyl 'magic'. However, if it is a great recording, then it is marvelous. Not all your records will sound great on a good table.

As others have pointed out, you're comparing apples and oranges. Unless you put the same cartridge on each rig you'll have no idea what the inherent qualities of the two rigs actually are.

Sometimes my table sounds smothered or rolled off in the highs,

And probably always will with a Glider on it. Smoothed, gentled, laid back, rolled off highs. Sounds like every Glider I've heard, on any rig.

...and sometimes I hear what I can best describe as noise/static/distortion on vocals when they get loud.

STOP playing those records until you solve this problem. If your stylus is mistracking your vinyl is being permanently damaged.

There are several possible causes of this noise and they've been discussed here many times. Twice within the last week on two thread I remember. Do a little searching/reading/research.

Doug